6 Days Serengeti Safari and Gorilla Trekking

Day 1: Arusha to Serengeti National Park (4 hours of driving)

Day 2: Full day Game drive at the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater

Day 3: Game drive before departure Kigali Rwanda

Day 4: Kigali City Tour –  Visit the twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo at the Volcanoes National Park (3 hours of driving)

Day 5: Golden Monkey Tracking –  Iby’iwacu Cultural Village

Day 6: Gorilla Tracking – Transfer to Kigali for departure (3 Hour drive)

1. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
2. Golden Monkey trekking in the Volcanoes National Park
3. Game drive to see the big five in Serengeti plains
4. Visiting the Ngorongoro crater
5. Visiting the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village (Now known as Gorilla Guardians Village)
6. Visiting the twin lakes of Ruhondo and Burera

Day 1: Pickup from Arusha and transfer to the Serengeti National Park

Our Guide will come to pick you from your hotel in Arusha after taking your breakfast. He will brief you about the tour before starting the 4-hour drive to the Serengeti National Park.  The road is dotted with amazing landscape and vast plains. You will pass close to the Olduvai Gorge were the first remains of the earliest humans were discovered by the Leaky family.  Once you reach the park, you will be taken to your hotel for refreshments and then head for the first game drive at the Seronera Valley of the Serengeti National Park. Look out for Elephants, Giraffe, lions, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeests and several antelopes. Game drives are the most popular activities in the Serengeti National Park. Expect to find crowds especially if you travel in the peak season.

Dinner and overnight will be at Shuhudia Adventure Camp.

Day 2: Full day Game drive in Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater

Wake up early and prepare for an amazing day out in the Savannah. The game drive starts from the Serengeti plains along the Seronera River Valley before continuing towards the Ngorongoro crater. The Seronera River Valley is known for having a large collection of hyenas and big cats. Prepare to encounter lions, cheetahs, zebras, leopards, bush bucks, dik-dik and other antelopes. Look out for secretary birds, ostriches, Guinea fowls, hornbills and so much more. Before heading for the Ngorongoro crater, you will also visit the Retina hippo pool which is home to about 200 individual hippopotamuses. Lunch will be taken from the Savannah as you drive towards the Ngorongoro crater.

Dinner and overnight will be at Shuhudia Adventure Camp.

Day 3: Game drive transfer to Kigali Rwanda

Take breakfast and drive down for the another game drive at the Amazing Ngorongoro crater. Look out for Rhinos, Elephants, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, jackals, wildebeests, reedbucks and countless other antelopes. The Ngorongoro crater is the largest land crater in the world and has an amazing concentration of wildlife. Everyone who goes down the crater will be impressed by the remarkable biodiversity. Most of Africa’s famous mammals are found down the crater except for the Impalas, Masai giraffes and topis. After exploring the vast crater, you will start the journey back to Arusha to catch your flight to Kigali Rwanda. You will be received by our Driver in Kigali and taken to your hotel for rest.

Dinner and Overnight at Lebanon Hotel Kigali (Budget), Heaven Hotel Kigali (Mid-range) and Marriott Hotel (Luxury).

Day 4: Kigali City Tour –  Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Visit the twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.

Wake up early and take breakfast as you wait for our Guide to take you for a tour of the city of Kigali. Kigali is a small city but one of the cleanest and most organized in Africa. You will visit the Kigali genocide memorial center, the city markets, former presidential palace and crafts shops. After visiting the city, you will have lunch before starting the 3 hour journey to the Volcanoes National Park. Once you reach the park, you will be taken to your hotel for check-in, refreshment and a shower if you choose. The Guide will come to pick you and take you to visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.

Dinner and Overnight at Virunga Hotel (Budget), Da Vince Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and Five Volcanoes Hotel (Luxury).

Day 5: Golden Monkey Trekking – Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village

Take breakfast and wait for the driver to take you to the park offices for briefing. You will find many tourists at the office. Some would have come to see the gorillas, hiking one of the volcanoes or visiting the grave of Dian Fossey. The Rangers will share information about the monkeys as well as the rules to be followed while tracking them. Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda can take up to four hours. You will be rewarded with great views of the volcanoes and sightings of other park creatures. After sporting the primates, you will be driven back to your hotel for lunch and refreshment. Later in the afternoon, the driver will take you to visit the Gorilla Guardians village. This Centre showcases all that is good about the culture of the people of Rwanda. Go and see how the people of Rwanda lived 200 years ago. You will meet the traditional medicine man, buy local souvenirs and watch cultural presentations.

Dinner and Overnight at Virunga Hotel (Budget), Da Vince Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and Five Volcanoes Hotel (Luxury).

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking at the Volcanoes National Park – Transfer to Kigali for departure

This will be one of the most memorable days of your safari. Wake up early and wait for the Driver to take you once again to the park headquarters in Kinigi for the morning briefing at 7:30 am. The Rangers will brief you about mountains gorillas, their habitat and how to act while with them. If you want to hire porters to carry heavy equipment/ bags, you will have an opportunity to do so after the briefing. Rwanda has 10 gorilla groups that are open to tourism. The allocation of gorilla groups is based on physical fitness. After the allocation of gorilla groups, you will be led to the forest by the park Rangers in search of the primates. Gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park takes between one to six hours depending on the location of the gorilla family that day. After you find them, you are allowed only one hour with them. Take the time to observe the groups and take photos of individuals grooming, feeding, playing, climbing trees and relaxing.

After observing the group for one hour, you will be led back to the starting point where you will find our Guide waiting for you. The Driver will take you back to the park offices to get your gorilla trekking certificate and then for lunch before starting the journey back to Kigali for departure.

The tour includes

1. Park Entry fees
2. Gorilla permits
3. Golden Monkey Permits
4. Games drives in the Serengeti plains and the Ngorongoro Crater
5. Kigali city tour
6. Visiting the twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
7. Visiting the Iby’iwacu Cultural Centre
8. Transport in a standard Tour Van
9. Full board accommodation for 5 nights
10. All meals and drinks during the tour
11. Flights during the tour
12. All Airport transfers

The Tour Excludes

1. International Flight before and after the trip
2. Visas
3. Gratuities and tips to Guides, Rangers, hotel staff and porters
4. Things and expenses that are clearly of a personal nature like alcohol and souvenirs
5. Medical and travel insurance

Ikoma Safari Camp: This Luxury camp is built within a thick bush that is surrounded by vast Savannah plains and acacia trees. The camp is located in one of the main wildebeest migration routes. During the months between June to October herds of wildebeest pass/graze close to the camp offering residents amazing views of the wildlife.

The area surrounding the camp has resident game throughout the year including impalas, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes and elephants among others. Game viewing can start early in the morning as you take your breakfast and later in the evening after your game drive. As an Eco-friendly camp, Ikoma Safari Camp uses solar energy and panels for power. Some of the other facilities in the camp include a bar and restaurant serving both international and local cuisines. While at the camp, residents can take part in walking safaris, village tours, night game drives or watch traditional dances.

Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge: This is arguably the best mid-range around the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. It is built close to the park offices in Kinigi and hence an excellent choice for those who have come to do golden monkey and gorilla trekking. All the rooms are of high quality and self-contained with amazing views of the Virunga Volcanoes especially mount Karisimbi. Each room has a balcony, free Wi-Fi and hot showers. There are Triple, Twin, Double and Single rooms.  Staff are on standby to cater to your needs 24 hours a day. The lodge has a central lounge area, a restaurant and bar.

Shuhudia Adventure Camp: This amazing camp is built in isolation and in the middle of the Serengeti National Park where the wildebeest migration occurs. The tents are furnished with African style material and decorations. Apart from the level of comfort and quality of service, residents are treated with great views of the Serengeti. Accommodation is in form of 6 self-contained tents. Each tent has a shower, hand wash basin, flash toilets and a wardrobe. Staff at Shuhudia Adventure Camp are very friendly and will arrange a special campfire every evening with many of the park animals nearby. Other facilities in the camp include a central lounge area, dining room in one large tent, a bar, library, restroom tent and evening campfire.